Ontario Took On FIFA… and Won | OneFootball

This morning, FIFA ticket holders received an email with this stunner of an opening paragraph: We are writing to inform you that the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Ticket Transfer and Resale Terms have been updated in response to legislative changes under Ontario’s Ticket Sales Act, 2017. Please review these changes, paying particular attention to Clause 6.2.

It continued (emphasis is the authors): If you choose to resell FIFA World Cup 2026™ ticket(s) to a match held at Toronto Stadium in the province of Ontario, Canada, on the FIFA Resale Marketplace, you may not list the ticket(s) for a resale price that exceeds the original amount paid to FIFA Ticketing (including applicable taxes and fees), even if it was purchased on the FIFA Resale Marketplace at a higher price.

Whoa. How in the heck did this come about?

The Ticket Sales Act

The seeds of this stunning reversal by FIFA were sown back in 2017 with the passage of the Ticket Sales Act. As part of a larger bill called the Stronger, Healthier Ontario Act, it effectively curbed ticket bots by restricting reselling and scalping. The ruling Liberal Party wrote the legislation, and with a majority of the seats in Ontario’s parliament, it passed.

While no public record exists of the exact voting breakdown, research indicates that the intent of the act was popular among voters and legislators. I mean, nobody likes ticket bots, or scalpers for that matter. However, there was legislative opposition to the implementation of price caps on resales, with the Conservative Party adhering to their usual concern about government overreach.

Why Should I Care?

Because Ontario is home to Toronto’s BMO Field. This stadium is one of the sixteen that will host matches for the FIFA World Cup (though it will be known as Toronto Stadium since FIFA prohibits any venue sponsorship not negotiated through its own organization).

About World Cup Ticketing

Back in December, FIFA began selling tickets on its platform, including Toronto Stadium. The World Cup ticketing system uses dynamic pricing for the first time in the tournament’s history. Initial prices are set but not fixed, and can go up (or rarely down) based on demand. This by itself was controversial, but defended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as “business as usual” for sporting events in the host nations.

As any soccer fan knows, FIFA has been catching a storm of negative press over soaring ticket prices ever since. Infantino has subsequently made a big deal about the Category 4 $60 ticket, FIFA’s cheapest option. In reality, this price point was enabled for a ridiculously minuscule percentage of seats.

Toronto’s Stadium Map. See if you can find the $60 Cat 4 seats.

Far more attention was paid to the skyrocketing cost of a ticket to the finals, which is around $11,000 this year compared to $1,600 four years ago in Qatar.

Also under scrutiny is FIFA’s control of the resale market, which can only be done via their platform. Unlike past World Cups, FIFA removed the price cap on any ticket resales. This resulted in a much publicized uproar when four tickets to the final were placed for sale at $2.3M each. EACH.

FIFA also earns a commission on every ticket resale: 15% from the seller and 15% from the buyer. With 30% disappearing into FIFA’s pockets, jacking up the sale price by at least 15% is the only way a seller can break even.

Ontario’s Actions

Ontario’s lawmakers took notice of the complaints. In April they passed an amendment to the 2017 Act banning the resale of any ticket above the original face-value price. By waiting until after FIFA was already committed to the venue, they forced a standoff. Something would have to give.

FIFA blinked first, removing all Toronto tickets from its resale platform on April 28, 2026. Folks attempting to access it received notice that the service was “temporarily unavailable… until compliance modifications.”

But as of May 6, 2026, resale service is once again operational, but in full compliance with Ontario’s law.

What it Really Means

Before we go crowing about FIFA’s comeuppance, let’s take an honest look at the impact.

Toronto is only one of 16 venues. It’s the smallest stadium, with a 45,000 seat capacity. With six games scheduled there (5 group stages and a R32 knockout), it represents 3.73% of total ticket sales across the tournament. FIFA clearly weighed whether attempting a public challenge to a local ordinance would be worth it.

Fiscally, they can take this hit. It’s really nothing more damaging than a snowflake falling on your arm. But any PR fallout, when they are already under fire for so much, would be worse. Compliance was their most elegant solution, even if it costs.

As for any punter who bought a marked up ticket for Toronto and has to resell at a loss, FIFA will do what it does best: shrug, say “not our fault,” and point the finger at Ontario politicians.